[DennisP]

I never really saw it, until I was about 18 and spent a weekend in the Swiss Alps. That was in the mid-'80s. I'd seen it as a dim smear before, but not in its full glory. It looked like the pictures. I wished I could jump on a spaceship and just head out there.

[RHSman2]

I live in Switzerland and while I have seen it plenty, I, and I mean me, hadn't properly seen it in till the last few years.

By seeing it, realising that I am looking out from our planet across that galaxy plane. It was a very special evening.

As they say, you can be told things but you have to experience to know. I hope more people get to realise it.

[saiya-jin]

Skies in the alps (at least french and swiss) have too much light pollution to have properly clear picture most of the time. Every valley has some village, and even if you get to 3000+ metres (or even 4000+), glows from valleys are never too far. Depends on cloud/haze situation too.

I camp up there a lot, all seasons, even have full frame camera with tripod with me for night shots but you simply can't escape the glow (at least I didn't manage so far).

But to be honest, even in himalayas 2 years ago (3 passes hike in Everest region), or on Aconcagua (6000m camp) last winter the skies were mostly just OK. Of course with 30-second exposure things come to light, but I don't like those overly-photoshopped pictures of milky way so popular these days. Very little reality, too much painting with brushes with regard to color representation.